Chapter Seventeen
T he next time turned out to be the day that the springs were to be officially opened with a ribbon-cutting and a plaque-laying ceremony. It had been almost three weeks since the disaster at the café. Today there would be no ignoring. She would have to talk to him, pose for photos with him and generally make nice with him. She arrived with Maggie. And Matt was there and so was Jillie. Jillie had informed her that Cade had personally invited them. Well, she was glad. That meant she would have some supporters there and safety nets. The sooner it was all done the better.
“It’s perfect weather today. Bright cloudless blue sky as only can be so glorious in Texas,” Maggie proclaimed. “We are going to have your opening remarks, welcome et cetera. Then you will introduce me and I will introduce the hospital board and of course the Lockwood Foundation and Cade. Then you and he will step to the ribbon take the scissors…sort of like cutting a wedding cake.” She laughed but neither Tori nor Cade did so. He had been on his best behavior welcoming guests to his ranch home, seeing that they had drinks and were made comfortable.
She had chosen to wear one of her ‘power’ suits as Cassie had called it. Her brilliant blue blazer with black turtleneck sweater and black slacks. She had swept her hair back into a French braid. Cade was in a black western-cut suit looking every inch the wealthy rancher benefactor.
She was looking over her remarks once again in a quiet corner of the library. Cade found her there and shut the door behind him.
“You aren’t nervous are you?” he asked by way of a conversation starter. “No need to be. You’ve got this. All the people really care about is being able to see the springs and eat the dinner we’re providing. And all you really need to do is just smile and look beautiful, which you already do.”
“I like to be prepared. You can wing it all you like.”
“Well, after it is all said and done today, we need to find a moment to talk. And I already checked with Wallace. Your schedule is open the rest of the day.”
“It’s time,” she said. “We don’t want to keep people waiting.”
He held the door open for her.
There was quite a crowd that had gathered for the ribbon cutting. And the press was there to record it all. Maggie nodded and Tori began the ceremony with a welcome to all and then a brief history of how the project came to be…a concerted effort by a small group of people wanting to help those who could benefit from the thermal pools in their therapy. Then she introduced Maggie who took it from there. When Cade went before the microphones he began very simply. “We are here today because of the vision of one person whose tenacious spirit and unflagging energy managed to prevail when others failed, one person who never gave up. We all owe a great deal of thanks to Mayor Victoria Parker for bringing us all here today.” The applause was spontaneous and totally unexpected. She had no idea Cade was going to say such a thing. Moisture threatened and thankfully Maggie went on with introductions and gave her time to compose herself.
“Now, it’s time to ask Mr. Lockwood and Mayor Parker to cut the ribbon to open the springs officially.” Tori and Cade moved forward, the scissors were handed over and they both grasped the handles of the oversized implement. He looked at her and she at him and it would turn out to be a photo to embody that day. “This is because of you, Tori,” he whispered. “Thanks for making me change my mind.” Then they cut the ribbon and it fluttered to the ground to more applause.
People lined up to have a tour up to where the pools were ready to receive patients. Tori stepped back. She preferred to see the changes to the place after others had seen and left the area. She found Matt and Jillie and they moved to the large tent that had been set up with tables and food. She really couldn’t eat very much as people kept stopping by their table to shake her hand and congratulate her on the hard work.
In a lull, she managed a sip of tea. Matt leaned closer and whispered some words. “You realize that the talk is that you are already to be elected mayor next summer again. The people like your style of getting things done, sis. Way to go.”
That should have made her happy to know but it was hard to summon such a feeling. She was dreading what Cade wanted to talk about. As though her thoughts conjured him, he appeared moving in her direction. But he wasn’t alone. The woman she had seen with him at the café, the one who parted from him with an embrace—the one he said was his family member—was walking straight for her. She stood. She thought better on her feet. Suddenly, she wished Matt and Jillie and Maggie and the others weren’t at the table. But it was too late. Cade and the woman stopped beside her.
It wasn’t Cade who spoke first.
“I’ve been wanting to meet you, Mayor Parker. I am a big fan of yours. I’m Selena Lockwood.”
“How do you do?” Was that her pathetic-sounding voice? Tori wanted the floor to open and suck her to the other side of the world.
“Selena is indeed a fan of yours, Tori. She is also part of our legal team for the Lockwood Foundation. She lives not far from Austin, which is why most of you have never met her. But I felt she needed to be here today. And to meet Tori.” Cade’s gaze never left Tori’s. “And if you would all keep her company, Tori and I have a meeting. We will rejoin you afterwards.”
Cade’s hand on her back guided her through the guests and then outside where she was able to take in some fresh air at last. His hand fell to her hand, and she didn’t have the energy to disagree.
“Where are we going?”
“You need to see the changes we made. You haven’t approved them.”
“It’s a little late for that isn’t it?”
“If you don’t approve, we will change it. That simple.”
The climb was a little steep when done in high heels. But where there had been rocks before, there was a smooth cement walkway, complete with handrails and no steps. Benches sat under the tall trees, now bare of leaves. A small building of native stone housed the restrooms and the dressing areas for males and females. They were all ADA compliant. And they were warm in the fall months and had AC in the warm weather. Another work area had room for therapy equipment that the onsite therapist could put to use.
“Now for the pools,” he said and they stepped outside again. There were three pools that had been developed, which meant they had easy access for those who could walk into the pool and those who could not. There were emergency equipment boxes at each pool and phone service that went straight to the paramedics had been installed.
“It is still a work in progress. Patients will be referred to a therapist who will schedule time for them in one of these pools. Weekends will be closed to allow the springs to settle. Does it meet with your approval? Say the word and if we need to add something we will.”
“You managed to do all of this in less than three months.”
“When you have work crews already that is half the battle. But this is all because of you. You fought for it. You had to put up with me and my arrogance because some crazy woman dared to challenge me on my own land. But also, I remembered a few things that my grandfather taught me. And I know that this is something he would be very proud to know has happened here. There are still springs that are untouched. He would have been proud that the Lockwood name would be associated with something that can do good for so many others. And you were the catalyst. Thank you, Tori, for not backing down.”
“It is perfect, Cade. Thank you for doing this.”
“Well, now we have all the thanks out of the way, we need to clear some air. And this is a pretty good place to do it. Grandfather would approve of this, too.”
“I’m listening.”
“Good, let me finish and then you can talk. You best sit down.”
Tori moved to a nearby bench and did just that, her hands folded in her lap, trying to stay calm because she had no idea what was coming next.
“I’m stubborn. And remember you promised not to speak until I’m done. But I have reasons why I’m not very trustful of women—from past experiences. But then I met a woman who did not care how many buckles there were or what bank account I had. You just expected me to listen and do the right thing. You were scary. And I hadn’t a clue how to figure you out. So it took some time. I had to listen. I watched. And I had to admit that you might be the real deal.
“And then I realized that getting to know you wasn’t that easy. You had your own walls. You might not like what I say next. But here goes. You are amazing. But you don’t see that. Your family has you on a pedestal because you have been parent and sibling and so much more for so long. You put every person ahead of you. And you expect nothing in return. You aren’t used to others wanting to help you. So you pull away. You aren’t used to others getting too close. Because you don’t trust that they won’t leave or disappoint you. They might break your heart…because that is depending on others and giving them some control.
“I didn’t figure that out right away, so I made some mistakes. I should have told you right away about Selena, but I didn’t, and that was wrong. But I’ve realized that my grandfather was a wise man, yet he could also make mistakes, and it cost him his one true love in life. He taught me to walk in my own steps and not his. I had to remind myself of that. That’s when I decided that there would be no more games, no more misinformation, no more wasting time. I know what I want now and for the rest of my life. The question is, what do you want? For you …not anyone else in your family. Take a leap of faith, Tori. I’ll catch you. I promise you that I won’t be going anywhere. But you have to decide. The floor is yours.”
“I will own that a lot of what you say is true. I am not so much stubborn as determined. I did have to learn to fight to protect those I love from an early age. People lied. People disappointed along the way. So, I decided that I would trust me and me alone. I would do my best to give those I love—my family—all that they deserved. I worked for that. And I found Destiny’s River. It spoke to something inside me that had been missing. I made it home. And I ran for mayor for much the same reason. There were things I knew needed to change in order to help people who lived here, and I believed that I could do it. And the community needed the springs for those who were ill and hurting.
“When you say I had—have—walls to keep those who aren’t my family away, I have to own that too. For so long, I’ve had to be everything and if I failed, my family would be harmed. I have issues trusting someone else besides myself. So I got used to being the one to handle everything. That carried over not just in my family but also in my work and my relationships. I couldn’t trust you when you came along and tried to break down the wall. Instead, I became more defensive. What could you possibly want with someone like me? Our worlds are far apart. And I pushed you away because it would keep the pain away. Silly as it sounds, that’s the truth of it all. I’m not easy. I own that.”
“You are definitely not easy,” Cade admitted with a hint of a grin. “But that is part and parcel of how you have survived. I am amazed at the strength you have, day in and day out, to protect your family, to look out for them and love them. Then to take on issues in the town that others have and champion them with the same energy and tenacity. I think at some point, I realized how much I wanted to be included in that group. I was jealous in a weird sort of way. And I experienced this incredible desire to step in and help shoulder the burden. Maybe burden isn’t the right word. But everyone needs someone to share the load with. I wanted to be the one to do that for you. But you just wouldn’t have it. Seems the more I tried, the more determined you became.
“But then something my grandfather said more than once as I was growing up made sense to me at last. Anything truly worth having is worth fighting for with all you’ve got. I saw what happened when my grandfather finally gave up on his dream. I didn’t want to be that person. So I didn’t run away. I met you head-on.
“The truth is all I want between you and me. Good and bad. I want to share it all. I don’t want to change you from the incredible woman you are. I want you to feel you can lay your head on my shoulder when things get to be too much. Rest and let me share the load. Then when you are ready, you can take on the world again, and I will cheer you on. And you will do the same for me. I think we both can work on doing that. And speaking of truth, I will begin with this.
“I love you, Tori Parker. Plain and simple. You’re worth fighting for. Every day, good or bad, I’ll be there for you. That’s why I wasn’t about to give up. Life with you would be the greatest adventure of them all. And the most amazing. The question is what is it that you want for your life?”
*
Cade loves me. He said it. And he means it. My heart and my brain finally agree.
Tori stood. Truth. Cards on the table. “What I want is to have someone love me for who I am. I don’t want to be on a pedestal. I do want to know that there is another shoulder there in case I need it. That I won’t be perfect or right all the time, but I can fail and the world won’t end. I want to have someone care and be present. No lies, no misunderstandings…we can always talk.”
“Is that all?”
“Well, there is one more thing.”
Cade was listening intently.
“A horse. My own horse. And someone who likes to watch the sunrise and sunset and hold my hand through each and every one of them. The person who will be my home. And I will be his.”
Cade shook his head. Had she gone too far?
“I do believe that a horse of your own is very much doable. And beginning my day and ending it with you sounds like one heck of a deal.”
“What do you want?”
Her heart started somersaulting in her chest. He slowly sank to one knee.
“ You , Victoria ‘Tori’ Parker. For all the days of my life and beyond. Will you marry me?” A diamond solitaire held between his fingers cast its brilliance in the waning sunlight.
This was the dream held tightly within her for so long. And this was the man who came in answer to her prayer. The dream she was always afraid to voice in case it would disappear and never come again. The wall came tumbling down.
“Yes, Cade Lockwood. I very much would like to marry you.” The ring slipped onto her ring finger. Then she was lifted off her feet and the kiss was one to seal their promises. She was home and it wasn’t a dream.